February is Black History Month / /Février est Le Mois de l'Histoire des Noire

What is Black History Month?

Well a few Bastion students knew the answer - historically it is about sad experiences that people had to face because of their skin colour.  It is about all of us getting informed about biases and racism and taking positive steps to greatly reduce biased thinking and discrimination.  It is further about resistance, resilience and many incredible success stories.|

While we focus on Black history, some students also take time to explore issues and successes of Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC).

See below to learn more about the above topics, to nurture deep thinking, and to consider taking possible ACTION STEPS to reduce discrimination and, overall, let us celebrate diversity.

"Proud of Our History - Blacks in Canada - Black History Month"  (1:03)

by Citizenship and Immigration Canada / Citoyenneté et Immigration

Highlighted in this video are people of African descent who have made contributions to our nation:

Anne Greenup - settled in Montreal in the late 19^th century and fought against poverty and exclusion.  First president for the oldest Black Women's organization in Canada, the Coloured Women's Club of Montreal, founded 1902.  

Mifflin Gibbs

Elijah McCoy 

John Ware 

No 2 Construction Batallion WW1 

William Hall

Mary Ann Shadd Cary

Oscar Peterson 

Jarome Iginla 

DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR CANADIAN BLACK HISTORY MONTH:

• CBC Kids - How did Black History Month come to be?
• CBC Kids - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr,'s Legacy Lives On Here
• "Black History In Canada" as a search term in Canadian Encyclopedia - EXCELLENT SOURCE in both French and English
• Le Mois de l’histoire des Noirs - Gouvernement du Canada
• Black History Month - Gov. of Canada (French & English)
• Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia  slavery, The Loyalists, The Refugees, The Maroons, Caribbean Refugees, & Black Battalion.  Roots of the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia described in Canadian Encyclopedia
• Rella Black History Foundation "The Rella Braithwaite Black History Foundation is a non-profit resource organization providing positive images, stories, and educational resource materials pertaining to the history of Blacks in Canada."
• BC Black History Awareness Society (BCBHS) 

• Anti-racist book list for kids by Anti-Racism Coalition Vancouver (ARC). Bastion library has some of these books; try the ORL, & EPIC as well.
• Canadian Black Heritage Stamps

SOME KEY CANADIAN HISTORICAL INFORMATION AND PEOPLE:

        

Black Canadian History Song, CBC Kids (1:57)

Tony and Janaye are celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth 

with a song featuring some of history's iconic Black Canadians.



Underground Railroad, Canada and the US
Source" "Heritage Minutes: Underground Railroad" by Historica Canada

 Harriet Tubman and her contributions to the Underground Railroad
Source: "Harriet Tubman: Humanitarian Leader. Hero"  by
Citizenship and Immigration Canada / Citoyenneté et Immigration

Music often gave directions for the Underground Railway as well as where Safe Houses were.
The music was also meant to lift spirits.

Canadian Civil Rights Activist Viola Desmond
Source: "Heritage Minutes: Viola Desmond"   by Historica Canada

\

Richard Pierpoint: a former Black Loyalist slave joins the War of 1812 at the age of 68 

as a soldier & recruits other black men to join him!
Source: "Heritage Minutes: Richard Pierpoint" by Historica Canada

Heritage Minute: Oscar Peterson, Jazz musician

Africville, Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Further historical information found at 

Canadian Encyclopedia

Africville, Halifax, Nova Scotia.  CBC Arts presents "Africville's Destruction is a Shameful Chapter

in Canadian History, but it Must be Remembered" an interview with author Shauntay Grant

RESOURCES:

 "Black History Month" search term for Bastion Elementary Library and the Okanagan Regional Library (ORL):

• Bastion Elementary Library resources 
• Okanagan Regional Library Resources                                                        
• TumbleBooks (ebooks) four picture books listed below, but they offer many more  

1. The Patchwork Path: A quilt Map to Freedom     
2. Bintou's Braids  
3. Joseph's Big Ride
4. Teammates

BLACH HISTORY MONTH RESEARCH TOPICS & RESOURCES: 

- Canada
- International
- USA

- click here (this Word table will only work for people with SD83 accounts - view only status)

QUESTIONS?

Does Racism Still Exist Today?

• "Minor hockey investigates after N-word allegedly used on Sicamous ice" Salmon Arm Observer, Feb. 28th, 2018

BC Teacher Librarian Association
(BCTLA) Research Model:

Points of Inquiry by the BC Teacher-librarian Association (BCTLA)

- "Expression" Stage Options of One's Research:

        - 72 Creative Ways for Students to Show What They Know by Minds in Bloom

 TEACHER & PARENT RESOURCES: 

• BC Teacher Federation
• Challenging Racist "British Columbia": 150 years and counting a joint initiative between the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the University of Victoria research project Asian Canadians on Vancouver Island: Race, Indigeneity, and the Transpacific (80-page illustrated booklet).  Global News article about the publication "New publication delves into racist history as B.C. prepares to turn 150 years old" (Feb 25, 2021).

AMERICAN STORIES:

Arts, Entertainment & Sports:

- Ballerina Misty Copeland

Ayanna Najuma "Kids Can Change the World / Black History Month for Kids" (6:55) by Scholastic